Recently I shared a two hour journey with a young man who happened to be an expert in Pokémon. What a privilege that was! It was like being given a crash course in a whole new planetary system.

The best part was that my guide knew all the interesting bits, plus he had the Pokémon Super Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook to back him up. What a combination. Right beside me was the who’s who of the whole brilliant world – the evolving, the powers, the connections. I was absorbed.

The names of the different Pokémon are not simple, but my guide’s reading was excellent. Each name was carefully pronounced according to the description details, and then we noted the measurements. Some Pokémon are the size of skyscrapers, others little more than hazelnuts, and each has particular skills that often link back to the name. There is magic on every page.

I span around that galaxy fascinated, studying pages and pages of extraordinary creatures. By the time we arrived whole new layers had been added to my understanding of life as we know it. I only wish I’d had the time to study the world of Pokémon when earlier guides had offered their services.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023